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Oct. 6, 1931. w. JOHNSTON, JR

CLAY GUN Filed April 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Oct. 6, 1931. w, JOHNSTON, JR

CLAY GUN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1929 INVENTOR Z Z 1 w v WW? W. JOHNSTON, JR

CLAY GUN Filed April 20/ 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 35 l TR INVENTOR Oct. 6, 1931.

w. JOHNSTON, JR

CLAY GUN Filed April 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Pat nted 011.6, 1931 PATENT OFFICE Jonusromamor rrr'rseunon, rnmrsnvam one? Gun Application filed April 20, 1989. Serial No. 858,865;

This invention relates to clay gun operat ing mechanisms such as are cmmonlyemployed for supporting and operating the clay guns used for plugging clay into the iron notch of a furnace.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in clay gun operating mechanisms for moving an associated gun into and out of opera- M tive position.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the type set forth constructed and arranged for completely automatic operation.

A still further object is to provide a clay gun operating mechanism which will be Sim-- ple and rugged in construction, and positive and reliable in operation.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art 2@ are accomplished by means of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in 4 which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a clay gun operating mechanism constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the hearth jacket of an associated furnace and the iron notch thereof being shown fragmentarily in cross section. in this view the gun supporting carriage is locked in operative position but the gun it-' self is lifted away from the iron notch into inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the clay gun per se moved down into operative position for delivering'clay to the iron notch. Fig. 3 is a view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 taken from the rear there of, and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2.

The particular embodiment of the present invention which has been chosen for the purposes of illustration includes a clay gun supporting carriage which has separate compart ments formed therein and which is rotatably mounted for movement about a supporting pedestal into and out of operative position with relation to an associated furnace. The pedestal is entirely separate from any ofthe furnace structure such, for example, as pillars or the like and is preferably so located that when the carriage is swung to inoperative position the furnace front is left entire.-

2 clear of any gun operating mechanism. clay gun is supported in one of the carriage compartments for movement into and out of operative position throu h the-bottom of'the compartment. tower and from the iron notch of an associated furnace. An electric motor is mounted in a motor compartment in the gun carriage for causin such extension and retraction of the gun with relatlon to the carriage. This gun shifting mo- .tor is supported in the compartment ona supporting base which is spaced from the bottom plate of the compartment so as to provide an air space permitting ventilation and obviaiing' the danger that otherwise would be I incurred by the heat from the floor of the cast house. A carriage operating motor is also provided for moving the gun carriage into and out of operative position by causing it to rotate about the supporting pedestal.

As illustrated, the present invention is shown in connection with the hearth jacket 10 of an associated furnace having the'usual outlet or iron notch 11 through which the molten-iron or other metal runs during the periodic casting operations. It is, of course, this opening or iron notch, so called, which the clay gun is used to plug with clay at the end of each cast, or sometimes while the iron or other molten metal is still being discharged 30 from the furnace.

A gun carriage 12 having a gun compartment 13 and a motor compartment 14. is secured by suitable pivotal supports 15 to the lower portion of a. sleeve 16, see Fig. 3, rotatably mounted upon a supporting pedestal post 17 which, in turn, is so positioned that the adjacent portion of the furnace is left entirely free of all gun operating mechanism when the carriage is swung to inoperative position. Turnbuckles or similar adjustable connections 18 cooperate with the supporting pivots 15 in securing the gun carriage inplace and, in addition, provide .means for adjusting the gun carriage to the proper level. Rotation of the carriage about the supporting pedestal post from the operative position illustrated in full lines in each of the figures to the inoperative position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 is accomis moun extension and retraction through" the open bottom into the operative position illustrated 2 or the inoperative position illus- A clayggun 21 in Fi trateci in' Fig. 1. Separate sets of parallellinks 22 pivotally support the gun in the n compartment for such movement and insure such movement being in the proper line toward and from the associated iron notch. Movement of the gun is accomplished through suitable mechanism by means of an electric motor 23 or the like, located in the motor compartment 14 and connected by a suitable worm and gear 24 with a gun operating crank shaft 25 having a crank 26 secured thereto \and connected to the gun by a link 27. Obviously, operationof the motor 23 and rotation of the shaft 25 will swing the gun in one direction or the other on the supporting parallel links 22, the worm and gear locking the gun in one position or the other and preventing movement thereof except by the motor 23. The rear set of gun supporting links 22 are pivoted to the sides of the gun compartment, while the forward set are hung from a supporting shaft 28 supported in a casting 29 which. also forms a support for the gun operating shaft 25. Y

It will, therefore, be apparent that gun 21 is pendulously suspended from the gun carriage at two points by links 22. The gun being so suspended, it will move at a fixed angle from within the gun compartment to the tapping hole of the furnace and vice versa. In other words. the gun as it moves to and from tap hole plugging position, will move parallel to itself throughout its path of travel.

When the carriage is moved into operative position in front of'the furnace. a latch 30 pivoted ina bracket 31 on the front of the carriage and having an angular or round nose 32, snaps over a catch 33 mounted on the hearth jacket so as to lock the carriage to the furnace and prevent its being forced away therefrom by the plugging operation. A latch string or other form of release 34 may run to a convenient point away from the furnace where it can be easily operated at the desired time.

In operation, assuming the gun carriage arings are employed between the sleeve 16- and the pedestal. i of any desired construction in the gun compartment 13 for assays;

.to' be in the inoperative position' indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and that it is desired to plug the iron notch 11 after a cast, the carria shifting motor 19 is operated to move t e carriage around to the operative position a inst the furnace throiigllli the medium 0 the worm and gear 20. ring this operation the gun is housed within the 11 com artment 'in retracted osition wel above t e molten metal flowmg out of and away from the notch thro the usual troughs to the ladles (not shown As the carriage reaches its operative po-- sition, the catch 30 automatically locks it' to the furnace and the gun shifting motor 23 is operated to rotate the shaft 25 and through the connecting crank arm 26 swing the clay gun downwardly on its supporting links 22 directly into the notch 11 in the operative position illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the nozzle is located in the mouth of the iron notch 11. This direct movement of the gun from the protecting carriage compartment into the notchll prevents any burning of the gun nozzle which would result from the nozzle coming into contact with the molten metal in the trough. The gun is then operated in the usual way to deliver clay to the notch for the urpose of plugging the opening, after w ich it is retracted by reverse operation of the motor 23, the latch 30 is unfastened and the motor 19 is operated to shift the carriage to the inoperative position. When the gun is of the continuous type, that is, constructed and arranged to continuously feed clay into the notch, it will be apparent that the operation of moving the gun directly into the notch without permitting any contact of the nozzle with the molten metal in the trough, followed by the continuous delivery of clay, provides a mechanism capable of plugging the iron notch of a furnace against the full pressure of molten iron flld cinders, an operation hitherto unheard 0 The motor 23, located in the motor compartment, is mounted upon a supporting floor 35 which is located above the bottom plate 36 of the motor compartment for the purpose of providing an air space 37 to permit ventilation directlv below the motor and obviate any damage that might otherwise result from the heat. 7

Although I have described in detail one form of clay gun operating mechanism. it will be apparent that various-changes, additions, substitutions and omissions can be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clay'gun operating mechanism having in combination a gun supporting carriage,

ing the gun aga a pedestal post, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said-pedestal post, a pivotal support for said carriage on said sleeve and an adjustable connection between said carriage and saidsleeve for adjusting said carriage about said pivotal support. Y Y

2. A clay gun mechanism for plugging tapping holes in blast furnaces and the like, said mechanism comprising a support mountedindependently of the furnace columns or,"

pillars, a clay gun mounted for parallel movement on the support and means for moving the posed to lock the gun against movement withrelation to the support.

3. A clay gun mechanism for plugging tapping holes in furnaces and the like, comprising a support mounted separately and independently, of the furnace columns or'pillars, a clay gun, parallel swinging links pivotally connected to the gun and support, a motor, and self-locking gear mechanism connecting the motor and gun whereby the gun, upon operation of the motor, may be moved'into and out of the tapping hole, said gear mechanism 'when the{ motor is de-energized locks ing links. i v

4. The combination with a furnace structure having a tapping hole therein, of a support separate and independent of the furnace structure, a carriage turnably mounted on the support, a gun in the carriage, means for movin the gun so that itsnose or discharge en enters the tapping hole, and means on t e.carriage locking the gun to prevent movement of the nose out of the tapping hole.

5. In an operating mechanism for a clay gun adapted to plug tapping holes of furnaces, a pedestal 'post, a sleeve rotatablymounted on said pedestal post, a gun supporting carriage ahd means for mounting said carriage on said sleeve.

6. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post adapted to be positioned independently of the furnace supportingcolumns or pillars, a carriage turnably mounted on said post for supporting said gun, a motor on said carriage and a driving connection between said carriage and pedestal post for turning the carriage about the post. v, v

7. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post adapted to be positioned indepen dently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a sleeve embracing sa d post and turnably mounted thereon, a carriage for supporting said gun, said carriage being mounted on said sleeve and a motor on said car iage having a driving connection with said sieeve for turning-the sleeve and carriage about said post.

v nso that the nose thereof enters the, tapping hole, said moving means being disnst movement on the swing f i 8. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the ta ping hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post ad; ted to be positioned independently of the dirnace supporting columns or pillars,a sleeve embracing said post and turnably mounted thereon, a carriage for supporting said gun, said carriage being pivotally'mounted on said sleeve, means for angularly adjusting said carriage with respect to said sleeve, and a motor on said carriage having a driving connection with said sleeve for turning the sleeve and carriage about said pedestal post.

9. The combination with a claygun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post adapted to be positioned independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a sleeve embracing said post and turnably mounted thereon, a carriage for supporting said gun, said carriage being pivotally mounted on said sleeve and adjustable links connecting said sleeve and carriage whereby said carriage may be angularly adjusted with respect to said sleeve.

10'. The combination with a'clay gun for plugging the tap hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post adapted to be positioned inde-' pendently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a gun carriage turnably mounted on said pedestal post, said carriage having 95 a gun compartment therein, two pairs of spaced parallel ,links for pendulously supporting said gun from thecarriage, whereby said gun may be swung out of and into said compartment as said gun is moved to and 100 from tap hole plugging position, a motor compartment in said carriage having afloor in the bottom thereof, a second floor in said motor compartment disposed above said bottom floor and in spaced relation thereto to 105 provide an air space between said floors, a motor on said second floor having a driving connection with said gun whereby by operating said motor said gun may be swung to and from tap hole plugging position.

11. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace,'of a pedestal post adapted to be positioned independently of the supporting columns or pillars, a gun carriage turnably mounted on said 115 post, a motor on said carriage for turning the carriage about said post, means for pendulously suspending said gun frornsaid carriage at two points, a motor in said carriage, a driving connect-ion between said motor and 0 said pendulous suspending means whereby when said motor is energir'ed said gunis swung on said suspending means to and from tap hole plugging position, said driving connection being disposed to hold said pendulous 125 suspending means and said gun rigidly in a fixed position when the motor is deenergized to thereby lock said gun and prevent movement thereof relative to said carriage.

12.,The combination with a clay gun for 1- 7 arranged to hold said gun in a fixed angular plugging the ta ping hole of a furnace, of a pedestal post a apted to be positioned independently of thefurnaoesu portin columns or pillars, a air of pendu ous lin in said carriage and is osed on opposite sides of the gun for suspen ing the rear end of the gun from the carriage, a pair of pendulous links in said carriage disposed on opposite sides of the gun for suspending the front end of said gun from the carriage, said links being position as'said links are swung, a crank shaft on said carriage having a crank connected to said gun, a motor in said carriage and nonreversing gears connecting said motor and shaft, whereby when the motor is energized for operation in one direction the gun is swung on said links to tap hole plugging po sition and when said motor is energize for operation in the opposite direction, said gpn is swung away from tap hole plugging position, and when the motor is deenergized with said gun in tap hole plugging position, the non-reversing gears and links hold said gun rigidly in tap hole plugging position thereby preventing movement thereof relative to the carria e. p

13. he combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a mounting and operating device for said gun including a pedestal post adapted to be positioned independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a gun carriage mounted for turning movement about said post, a motor mounted in said carriage and operatively connected to turn the same about said post, spaced parallel links pivotally mounted in said carriage and arranged to support said gun for movement relative to said carriage, a motor within said carriage and connections between said motor and n for moving said gunrelative to said carnage.

14. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a mounting and operating device for said gun including a pedestal post adapted to be positioned independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a sleeve-like member enclosing said post and mounted thereon so as to be capable of being turned thereabout, a gun carriage mounted on said sleeve-like member, a motor mounted in said carriage and operatively connected to turn the'same and said sleeve-like member about said .post, spaced parallel links pivotally mounted in said carriage and arranged to support said gun for movement relative to said carriage and a motor within said carriage connected to move said gun relative to said carriage.

15. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace,'of a mounting and operating device for said gun including a pedestal post adapted to, be

positioned independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a sleeve-like memmeans for a just-ing the angularit ber turnabl mounted on said a carriage hiri d to said sleeve-likg mem di' of said carriage with relation to said s eeve-like member, a motor mounted in said carriage and operatively connected to turn the same and said sleeve-like member about said post, parallel links pivotally mounted in said carriage and arranged to su port said gun for movement relative to sai carriage and at a fixed angle thereto, a motor within said carriage an connections between said motor and said gun for moving said 16. The combination with a clay gun-for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, of a mounting and operating device for said gun including a pedestal post adapted to bepositioned independently of the furnace support ing columns or pillars, a gun carriage mounted for turning movement about said post, a compartment in said carriage for said gun and having an open bottom through which said'gun is adapted to be moved, spaced parallel links pivotally mounted within said gun compartment and arranged to support said gun for movement relative to said carriage and through the open bottom of said compartment, a motor within another compartment of said carriage and connections between said motor and said gun for moving said gun.

17. The combination with a clay gun for plugging furnace tapping holes, of a pedestal adapted for mounting adjacent a furnace and independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a carriage turnably mounted on the pedestal, motor means on the carriage 'for driving the carriage and gun about said pedestal, and motor means in the carriage for-moving the gun to and from plugging position.

18. The combination with a clay gun for plugging furnace tapping holes, of a pedestal adapted for mounting adjacent a furnace and independently of the furnace supporting columns or pillars, a carriage mounted on the pedestal, motor means on the carriage for turning the carriage and gun about said pedestal, motor means in the carriage for moving the gun to and from plugging position, and means in said carriage for holding said gun in a fixed angular position as it moves to and from plugging position.

19. The combination with a clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, a pedestal post adapted to be positioned and mounted in place independently of any furnace columns, pillars or other furnace structure, a sleeve on said post, a carriage supported by said sleeve, a motor in said carriage, non-reversing worm and gear mechanism connecting said motor and sleeve whereby as said motor operates, the carriage and sleeve turn about said post, means in said carriage arranged to support said gun in a fixed angu- III - 7 hole plug Iar position asitmoves to from mpp" g'position, andamotor in sai I carriage or moving said gun to and from plugging position.

20. The combination with a cla. gun for plugging furnace tapping holes, 0 an operating mechanism for sald gun including a.

gun supporting carriage, 'a, pedestal post mounted separately from and inde endently of the furnace and upon which sai carriage is mounted, means for moving said carriage about said post to and from to hole plugging position, and means inclu g parallel motion links for moving the gun into or out of the tapping hole.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of A ril, 1929.

' WILLIAM JOHNST N, JR. 

